Secretive
by Geoera
Summary: Shelby takes Beth to New York for her first Broadway show, coincidentaly; Rachel is starring.  Old wounds are opened up when Beth questions everything she's ever known.  Puckleberry, Rachel x OC, Shelby x OC,and brief Pelby.  T for language and sexuality.
1. My Turn

**Shelby experiences what should be a wonderful moment in her life; taking Beth to New York City for her first Broadway show.**

**Sorry; if I owned Glee Idina Menzel would have stayed on the show, Puckleberry would reign true, and Mark Salling and Chord Overstreet would randomly take their shirts off in every scene.**

OVERAGAINANDAGAINANDAGAIN

"Mom! Mom! Thank you so much! I can't wait! I'm so excited!", Beth squealed in the back seat of the yellow taxi cab as she bounced up and down in her seat. The cabbie gave her an amused look and turned back to the road ahead. Less than two blocks from the theater. Shelby smiled at her baby girl. She was fourteen now, this was her birthday present. After two months of saving for this trip to New York City (so they would have adequate) to see Beth's current favorite Broadway show. They had fourth row, orchestra seats; right in the center. The "best seats in the house" as Beth had told all of her friends (which she had many of) and of course she bragged about her lodgings. Not just everybody got to stay in the Waldorf Astoria.

Shelby grabbed Beth's hand; her skin was like Quinn's. Fair and perfect. Her hair was like Puck's. Dark and thick. She was beautiful with her light blue eyes and perfect figure. Beth was her baby. Her perfect baby. It had been nearly six hours since she thought of her other baby. Her first baby. The one Beth didn't know about. The one Shelby didn't plan on telling Beth about because that may ruin everything they had. It would screw with Beth's head. Just like Beth's adoption had screwed with Rachel's head.

Beth squeezed Shelby's hand as they pulled up to the theatre, and Shelby reached into her purse and dished out some money to the cabbie, murmuring a quick thank you and stepping out of the cab. Following Beth who was already standing on the street, nearly shaking with excitement, into the theatre. They went through the ticket line and to their seats as quickly as possible. They were a little bit late. The show would start in a matter of minutes, but, until then she would play solitaire with her phone.

Beth flipped through the playbill quickly, looking for where the names of the stars of the musical were located.

"Ha!", She exclaimed triumphantly as she began reading them off in a list like fashion. To see if her mother knew any of them. Since Shelby had a couple of her students make it into Broadway and Off-Broadway shows as members of the ensemble. She read them off, ensemble to major cast members. It was when she reached the female lead than Shelby dropped her phone. Eyes wide open. Jaw nearly on the floor.

"Read that name again please.", Shelby's voice shook, something which it almost never did.

"Carter-", Beth started, slightly confused.

"No. No. The female lead.", Shelby closed her eyes and inhaled sharply.

"Rachel Berry?", Beth asked tentatively. Shelby was quiet, she just nodded. Shelby was never this quiet.

"How- how do you know her?", Beth placed her hand on Shelby's.

"It's a long story.", Shelby tried to evade the question.

"I have time.", Beth raised an eyebrow and shifted in her seat. Shelby was near tears.

"No. No. No. Not here. Not now. Later. Later. Okay?", she repeated her words slowly. Beth let it drop. Moments later the curtain rose up and the opening number began to play.

It was breathtaking. That was her baby girl. Her flesh and blood up on that stage receiving a standing ovation and bowing next to an obviously gay cast mate.

"Wasn't that fantastic?", Beth gushed, as she nearly ran out of the large room.

"Yeah. It was.", Shelby smiled.

"Can we go meet the cast members?", Beth pleaded, knowing Shelby would probably say no due to her little _outburst_ earlier related to the female lead (Beth's new idol).

"Please?", she followed up before Shelby could get a word in edge wise.

"I guess.", Shelby conceeded. Knowing that Beth wouldn't ever let it go. She was like Rachel that way. So they went.

Rachel was standing, signing autographs, and still in costume. Shelby could have cried right there. But, she walked up with Beth, who had her playbill at ready.

"Miss Berry, I am such a huge fan, could you sign my playbill please!", Beth got it all out in one breath. Rachel looked up, smiling at the girl.

"Sure sweetie. What's your name?", Rachel asked as she took the playbill from Beth's hand.

"Beth. Beth Corchran.", she offered. Rachel froze, and looked up, past Beth, to Shelby. _Shit. Act professional. Offer to... Eat a late dinner with them? Yeah. That would work._

"You know. I think I know your mom. Would you mind if after I got this costume off we, I don't know, went out for a late dinner? Just so I could catch up with her?", Rachel asked calmly. Beth nearly screamed her response.

"Yes! Yes! That would be so awesome! Mom! Mom!", Rachel flinched at the last two words of Beth's excited speech, "Rachel wants to have dinner with us! To catch up!"

Shelby flinched as she met eyes with Rachel. But, instead of angry, icy eyes, Shelby was met with broken, tired ones. This was not the Rachel she used to know... This was not the firey, passionate girl who would fight for her cause no matter what. What happened? _Did I do this?_

THEMAIALINOGRAMMERCYPARK

"So. Beth, what kinds of things do you do at school?", Rachel asked, this had become a one sided pissing contest. So far, Beth was winning...

"Um... Drama, Choir, Cheerleading, and Volleyball!", Beth smiled and took a bite of her pasta. She couldn't believe it. _No one at school will believe this! Maybe I should take a video? Yeah._

Rachel nodded and they fell into an awkward silence. Interrupted only by Rachel's next question.

"Shelby.", She said coldly, anything but emotion now. "Still teaching English at Carmel?", Rachel just gave Shelby a way out, Rachel knew what Beth didn't, and for some reason she didn't feel like tearing up their relationship today.

"No! No. Now I have a job at a record company.", Shelby gave a tentative smile, trying to send Rachel the message to not say anything.

"Oh. Well, I saw St. James yesterday. You know, now he's working as an assistant to my husband. It's rather comical.", Rachel smiled bitterly. Shelby went wide eyed. Beth looked confused.

"Okay. Not to be rude or anything, but, um, what is going on? How do you guys know each other?", Beth asked sceptically. Rachel leaned back in her seat and gave Shelby a smirk.

"Well, Beth, it's complicated... It's very, very complicated...", Shelby started. _Husband? Rachel was married? Why didn't I know about this? How much of her life did I miss out on?_

"Very complicated. But, I believe that I can properly explain it if your mother will let me.", Rachel looked to Shelby for approval, she just nodded. No use stopping this now.

"It is in fact a very long story, I think that I will be able to give you the basic outline of the events that took place my jJunior year of high school.", Rachel fell back into "big words, proper grammer" Rachel. Beth looked even more confused then before.

"I was the star of McKinley High's Glee club. Your mother was a rival Glee club coach-", Rachel started dramatically, only to be interrupted by Shelby who knew that if Rachel told the full story Shelby would look like a huge ass.

"Twenty-Nine years ago I had a baby Beth. Her name was Rachel. Fourteen years ago we met. It didn't work out. And, well, you know the story of your adoption, but, Rachel went to school with your parents. That's how I found out about you baby.", Shelby was in tears at this point. Beth was in shock. Rachel's face was blank. Pushing all of the memories back to the recess of her mind.

Beth let out a giant laugh.

"Real funny guys. Really funny. But, how do you really know her?", Beth's question was directed at Shelby. They couldn't be serious. _No. No. No. No! _Her mind screamed. Shelby looked at Rachel sadly.

"I'm sorry. But, I have to go.", Rachel stood up. Throwing a hundred dollar bill down on the table, it's intended use obvious. Shelby gave her a pleading look.

"You walked away twice. Now it's my turn.", Rachel turned away, Prada purse in hand she left the restaurant. Her heels making a clicking sound against the hard wood floors as she walked away.

Shelby's tears were pouring down her face silently. Beth was confused ans shocked. _How could her mom do this to her? How? Why? What did she want to acomplish by hiding this from me? And Rachel said something about walking away. What the hell was that about?_

"What did she mean, by "you walked away twice"?", Beth asked. Shelby shook her head and hailed the waiter over.

"Check please.", Shelby pulled herself together and ignored Beth's question. _Not now. I can't do this now._

**I really don't like this. But, I felt like I needed to post this. By the way. I am currently looking for a beta for a story that I am planning involving this story line. If your interested, shoot me a pm.**

**xoxoGeo**


	2. Make Me Happy

**Thanks for everyone who has reviewed! It means a lot and keeps me writing. Also, thanks to my beta CarolinaAugust for being generally awesome.**

**Rachel, after arriving home. To find her husband gone on a business trip. She copes alone. Or at least that's what she tells her husband.**

**No, I don't own Glee. Sorry.**

ONETWOMANYFORMEWHOSITGONNABE

Rachel slammed the door of her black BMW M3, sighing heavily, near tears. This was not how she wanted her day to go. She wanted to finish work, come home, and spend the night with her husband, Adrien. But as she walked into her building, her doorman, Amir, informed her that Adrien had to leave suddenly on a last minute trip to L.A. Joy.

She wouldn't spend the night alone though. She never did. With her reputation as "Broadway's Sweetheart," she had nothing to lose. So she had a few little affairs here and there to relieve the stress of her life at its worst. If her husband couldn't be there to comfort her, she would find someone else. Someone with whom she could find comfort. Someone who understood disappointment. Someone who knew her, someone she could trust: someone like Noah.

She and Noah had been long time friends with benefits, since before she'd been married. They'd run into each other at a store on Madison Avenue three days before the opening night of her first musical (an Off-Broadway revival of Les Mis). She was shopping at Christian Louboutin, and so was he.

TAKEONESTEPMAKEONEMOVE

"Fancy seeing you here." Puck smirked, and was going to say more before Rachel interrupted.

"Do you work here?" she asked, surprised to see Noah in New York City let alone on Madison Avenue in Christian Louboutin.

"No. You?" He returned the question, fairly sure the answer would be no, but wanting (for some unidentafiable) reason to continue talking with her.

"No of course not, does this look like a packed theater to you?" she asked teasingly as she picked up the box for the shoes she wanted. "I'm buying these, but what are you doing in a woman's shoe store?"

"Shopping for a birthday present for my sister," Puck said sheepishly and looked down at the ground, dusting off an imaginary speck on his three hundred dollar jeans.

"That's so sweet. Can I help?" She smiled her million watt smile and he looked up again, his eyes glowing with appreciation. _She would do that for me?_

"Would you?"

SHOWYOURLOVEYOU'VEGOTACHANCETOPROVEIT

Rachel picked up her phone and dialed the number, tapping her foot impatiently as the phone rang. Once, twice.

"Hello? Rach?" Puck answered, out of breath.

"Noah. I need you to come to my apartment. Now," Rachel ordered, trying to keep her composure over the phone.

"Babe you know I'd love to but…" he started but was quickly cut off.

"I saw someone today, I- I um, I just need you now. Please.", Her voice cracked on the last word. She never said please, not for this sort of thing. No. Normally she teased and taunted, laughed and smiled. But now… now she needed him to know how much she needed him there.

"Coming." His one word answer was enough for her and she hung up the phone. No "goodbye," no "see you soon," and no "have a safe trip." _Stupid girl. What if your husband comes home? Huh? What happens then? Because you just violated the cardinal rule in illicit affairs! Keep them away from the house you share with your spouse!_

Rachel, still gripping her phone, walked into her modern kitchen and grabbed a shot glass from the cabinet. Setting the glass, which she'd never used and had just for show, down on the counter next to the phone which she had just abandoned, she pulled out a bottle of vodka. Normally she refused to drink because it could damage her vocal chords, but tonight was different. She poured a shot and downed it quickly. Then she poured another. And another.

By the time Puck reached her she was a mess, sitting slumped on the floor and now drinking straight out of the bottle. This was only the second or third time she had drunk anything stronger than wine, ever. Puck took the nearly empty bottle from her and set it on the granite counter top. He sighed heavily as he bent down to pick her up. She was tiny, just as small as she had been as a sophomore in high school.

"Are you gonna sex me up?" Rachel slurred, squirming, trying to wriggle out of Puck's grip.

"No Rach, I'm not going to sex you up. You're drunk," he sighed, but without judgment. With a day like hers, he would have done the same thing.

"I'm not that drunk." She squirmed again as they reached her bedroom door.  
The white walls and steel furnishings were cold, the black comforter on her bed unwelcoming. _The bed she shares with her husband;_ he reminded himself as he laid her down on the bed. She immediately passed out.

"Sure you aren't," he mumbled sarcastically and walked out of the room, leaving drunk Rachel lying on the covers with her shoes still on. The temptation to finish off the bottle of vodka was nearly killing him but, since he had no idea when Adrien would get back, he decided that it would be best to leave now and call Rachel in the morning to make sure she was still alive. Tomorrow was her day off anyhow and he was sure she'd have a massive hangover. Even if he had no idea who or what Rachel encountered.

KNOCKMEOUTCOMEONSTEPRIGHTIN

The cab ride back to the Waldorf Astoria was quiet. The TV was on mute, the cabbie wasn't talking and neither were Shelby and Beth. Shelby couldn't think of anything to say, and Beth couldn't comprehend how Shelby could have hidden this from her for fourteen years.

"Mom, what I don't understand about this whole thing is why? Why didn't you tell me I had a sister? Granted, she didn't live with us, but, still..." Finally breaking the silence, Beth tried to speak without her voice quivering, so far it wasn't working.

"Baby, I just, I just didn't want you to think that you weren't special. I didn't want you to think that you weren't…" Shelby answered after a moment of thought and was promptly cut off by Beth's rushed speech. They were nearing the hotel, and she knew that her mother would stop the conversation as soon as they stepped out of the cab.

"I know I'm special. But what about her?", Beth began speaking faster and a little bit louder. It made the silence that followed more profound. Shelby looked at her lap. Then the cab driver announced that they had reached their destination. Shelby dished out the money and climbed out of the cab. Beth followed. She wasn't angry, she was confused more than anything.

"You should call her. Let her know that you're sorry..." Beth suggested as they walked through the lobby. _Who should I call first? Everyone has to know that my sister, my sister (how weird is that)? I have a sister now! A sister who's a huge Broadway sensation! _Beth's thoughts raced and she hopped in the air to maximize the 'happy-teenage-girl' look.

Shelby just shook her head, looking down. _Not now. Rachel was probably feeling just as bad as I am, and if I call I might make it worse... Yeah, that's why I won't call her. So I don't make the pain worse_. The same kind of reasoning had kept her from calling Rachel after regionals, after the Lady Gaga thing, and other times over the years. There were very few things in Shelby's life she wished she could take back, but moments like those she regretted. Moments when she didn't try to at least get to know Rachel before giving up on her. Moments when they could have at least gone out for coffee, to see if it would even be plausible for them to see each other occasionally. But Shelby shut the door on those moments, on Rachel.

**Hope you liked it, the lyrics are from "Make Me Happy", The Wild Party. Review if you have the chance. Have a nice day.**


	3. Here We Stand

**Wow. Thanks for the great response to those last two chapters. I love you all. And thanks to CarolinaAugust, my magically wonderful beta for being generally awesome among other things. Also; sorry for the big hold up, but my Lupus was acting up and I was feeling too sick to write anything worthwhile.**

**This chapter is pretty much giving background on all of the ex Glee Clubbers.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. And if I did, things would be vastly different. i.e. Shirtless Mark and Chord, Idina serenading us with her magical voice, and Naya singing a little bit more.)**

The ride up to the nineteenth floor was quiet. The only sounds being those of the elevator skimming past the other floors. Thirty-six seconds passed until the another sound entered the mix; the ding that signaled their arrival at their chosen destination. Beth was doing everything in her power to avoid Shelby's probably icy gaze. _Does she seriously have to pout? I mean, it's not like Rachel. My sister, Rachel. Eeeep! Didn't want a relationship with Mom... Right?_ Shelby sighed huffily and walked out of the elevator, pushing past a man who was eyeing her.

_Is he looking at my ass? Seriously! In a time like this! Ug. Some people are just total pigs._ She rolled her eyes and continued on to the room, assuming that Beth was following closely behind.

"Which room number are you in?", the man ignored the oncoming elevator and chased after Beth.

"Um, I don't think I should tell that to a stranger...", she looked at him skeptically.

"No, no, um, I just wanted to see if I could send flowers?", the man looked at Beth sheepishly, and Beth being a sucker for handsome men with 'good intentions' told him. _Isn't he so sweet! Mom needs someone to dote on her like Mitch used to. That bastard. _Beth groaned inwardly as she shook her head, metaphorically shaking loose the memory of Mitch.

"1924.", she smiled and walked quickly in the direction of her room. Where she suspected her mother was impatiently tapping her foot while standing by the door. Shelby was predictable that way. Beth quickly, and with her head down, shuffled into the room. Trying to avoid Shelby's critical gaze, like she was trying to find out what had been taking Beth so long by simply looking at her, but, Beth's lips were sealed. That was until she looked at her phone and squealed. Who was she going to text first?

She quickly decided on sending a mass text to her friends (and non-friends) who were sure to spread it around school until the other drama geeks got a hold of the information, then she would officially be the coolest person ever. _Ha, Marie's mother being an ex-fashion model won't compete with this! My sister is Broadway's sweetheart! Suck on that Knox Jolie-Pitt._

ICAN'TCONTROLMYDESTINY

Noah Puckerman had done well for himself since high school. He got out of Lima on a football scholarship. He was the second string tight end on Ohio State's football team his junior year when he saw the field for the first time. He scored two touchdowns and began practicing first string the next week. From there he set two records and was drafted into the NFL, playing for the New York Jets as a second string tight end. He managed to repeat the feat he pulled off in college and began first string a few years ago, three days before he met Rachel actually.

Puck wasn't the only person to make it out of Lima; almost everyone made it out of the town, but, nobody was nearly as successful as Kurt, Rachel, and Puck. Santana stripped for her money at a place called the "Catscratch Club" on the Lower East Side of New York, Brittney danced back up for smaller singers, she and Artie were married, Mike taught dance classes in Coloumbus, Quinn and Finn were engaged and living in Coloumbus also, Sam moved to Colorado and taught snowboarding lessons, Tina was playing violin in the Kansas City Orchestra, Mercedes had gigs singing at weddings but, primarily worked as a secretary for a large law firm, and Lauren was an IT specialist at a hospital in Akron. They all made it out of Lima but only three of them really made it.

Kurt was the Dr. King of gay rights. Him and his partner had been advoacting using the same methods employed by their predecessors. Rachel had also gotten sucked up into it, she advocated for Kurt's cause adamantely. Most of Broadway's finest were on the "gay rights train" too, partly since half the men on Broadway are gay, and also because the other three quarters of the Broadway population was friends with one of their homosexual counterparts. It was the new civil rights movement, and it certainly made headlines. CNN and The Today Show consisted primarily of talk of Kurt Hummel and his 'band of merry little men' crusading for their right to love and not be discriminated against. And that was life for our Gleeks in recent times, they didn't all do what they thought they could, but they made the best of what they had.

**This felt kind of forced and a little bit awkward (also short). I've sort of lost inspiration but I will try to work on it as often as possible, I'm just not sure what I can promise you.**


	4. How to Save a Life

**After a very long delay I am back. Please don't kill me. Please. I'd really appreciate that… But I just received inspiration via an Idina concert and my Step Dad (more of a father to me than my real Dad) leaving for Afghanistan. Enjoy.**

STEPONESHESAYSWENEEDTOTALK

Rachel woke up around three a.m. with a terrible throbbing head ache and the inexplicable urge to vomit. She made a mad dash for the bathroom, reaching the toilet quick enough so that she didn't shower her brown and tan tiled shower in vodka puke.

The realization that it burnt more coming up than it did going down was enough to make Rachel not want to do this again. _But it's Shelby's fault. She's the one that drove me to drink like this. Goddamn it. Why does it still have to hurt so bad after this long? It's been fourteen years. Fourteen fucking years and I still feel. Maybe I need another drink…_

Before she could pull herself off of the toilet the earsplitting ring of her cellphone echoed through the apartment. Rachel lurched again out of pain before scrambling to her nightstand to grab the damn thing.

"What time does Adrien get home?" Puck blurted into the phone quietly.

"He didn't say… I'd assume by the amount of clothing that was in his suitcase that he will be staying until sometime tomorrow, or maybe even Tuesday." Rachel honestly did not remember the day he told her. But in this state she honestly didn't remember a lot of things. Her address, phone number, the name of her cat, etc.

"Are you ever getting a divorce?" He asked this in almost every conversation they had. Her answer was always the same if she answered, but most of the time she just hung up the phone or told him to leave.

"I don't know Noah. I don't know…" Her words trailed off and she mumbled a terse "Goodbye." Before hanging up and returning to the porcelain king to wretch. It wasn't just the hangover talking now.

HEWALKSYOUSAYSITDOWNIT'SJUSTATALK

From his luxury apartment in SoHo Puck looked out the window still clutching the Blackberry tightly. His knuckles were nearly white from the grip he had on it. He couldn't keep doing this 'other man' shit. It was getting real old, real fast, besides the media already was speculating on their relationship. They claimed it was just two very good old high school friends. Puck and Rachel knew better, so did everyone else who went to McKinley.

_What does Adrien have that I don't have, other than the rather obvious? Money? No. Looks? No. Sexual prowess? Funny, no. Rachel's love? Ha, no, she loves me. So what is it that keeps them married? He's not even Jewish! Damnit! There is no reason. _His phone went flying out of his hand and slammed against a couch on the other side of his living room before it went sliding across his hardwood floors.

Puck stood up and slowly walked over to the phone before picking in up and dialing a number he not to use that often.

"San, I need a pick-me-up, you around?" He muttered into the phone, almost ashamed. Puck felt like he was cheating, but this wasn't cheating since they weren't officially anything.

"I'll be right over." Santana purred into the phone before hanging up.

She knew she was second best. Santana always ended up second best… To Artie first and now to Rachel… _Man hands, what the fuck? How could he choose her over me? Oh, I know. Success, money, power, love even. Four things I don't have._

Santana threw on something tight and short before grabbing her purse, phone, and her subway pass. Her stiletto heels clicked on the sidewalk as she went. It was a fairly quick pace she set for herself as she made her way to the station a few blocks from her place.

The ride to his apartment was as sobering as it always was, she watched the poor inhabitants of her part of the city get replaced by increasingly wealthier people. This was her stop, the first station in SoHo. Just four blocks from Puck's apartment complex. The glass and metal building that met Santana was intimidating, as was the doorman who was giving her the onceover.

She rolled her eyes before using her spare key to get in. The fourteenth floor, apartment 1403 would be her destination. Santana knew what she looked like as she stepped off the elevator and an older woman, maybe in her mid-sixties greeted her with a startled expression.

"Excuse me." She muttered as she pushed out of the elevator and onto Puck's floor. Her key jolted in the lock for a moment before she walked in.

Puck grabbed her and began removing clothes, same as usual, he couldn't kiss her, or even look at her face.

Santana stopped getting offended after the third or fourth time he did this. She knew that she was a stand in for Rachel, a plaything that was only to be toyed with when the X-Box was broken. She knew about their demented relationship of kicks and ladders. They were constantly hiding, from Rachel's husband, from their parents, from the media. Santana knew all about it. Down to the very last gritty detail.

_If I wanted to be rich, I could sell their story. Or make them pay for me to be quiet. I could tell Rachel's husband, her directors, everyone who ever respected her. They won't be surprised when they find out that Puckerman's involved, but Rachel? Never their little angel. Nobody ever suspects Broadway's sweetheart. _Her thoughts were cut off by the feeling of Puck going down on her. They had migrated to the guest bedroom and she hadn't even noticed. Funny, huh. She had made this trip many times, but never to Puck's room. She wasn't allowed into Puck's room. _Lest I ruin it for the queen when she returns. If she returns._

**Thanks for reading. I appreciate reviews, even flames. Because that means you took the time to tell me what was wrong with it.**

**Thanks for being patient.**

**Xoxo Geo**


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